It Ain't Tea and Crumpets Kermit
by Rothalion
Summary: The squad is back at Ft. Benning for a months leave and First Sergeant Benedict throws his annual 4th of July bash. Elliot though has some second thoughts about attending. Back story for Gabe. Elliot meets Samantha and the guys take a trip to the mall so Salem can buy clothes.
1. Chapter 1

**It Ain't Tea and Crumpets Kermit**

_Fourth of July _

_Gabe Benedict's House _

_1993_

First Sergeant Gabe Benedict looked out of the sparkling glass of the big bay window dominating the front of his brick home in the country outside of Fort Benning. The driveway was full of vehicles and as he watched, Giddy's black Ford 4x4 truck pulled up and parked along the curb blocking the matching brick mailbox. Several men jumped from the bed and three exited the cab. They headed up the fire brick walking toward the gate leading into the backyard; talking, jostling and laughing, all carrying duffle bags and cases of beer. One man, toting a well-worn duffle right handed and clutching a single beer bottle in his left, stopped just a quarter of the way to the house obviously hesitant to follow the group. Gabe sighed and shook his head.

"Come on Salem; it's a Fourth of July BBQ not a fucking debutant ball."

"Say something Gabe?" His long-time girlfriend Dorrie asked, sideling up alongside him and wrapping her left arm around his waist.

He leaned into her, kissed the top of her head enjoying the fresh scent of the shampoo in her tawny colored hair and looked back at the approaching men. The squad was home for a month long leave after the long recon op and he relished in the tall, pretty woman's nearness. Her perfume, her body, her intelligence and confidence had instantly endeared the career soldier to her nearly fifteen years ago when they'd met at a black tie gala for an on post charity. Ordered to attend the event as a representative of his unit, the young Ranger was completely out of his element and Dorrie, the child of a wealthy defense contractor and well versed in the etiquette of galas, noted with a bit of whimsy, the beleaguered man's distress and came to his rescue; tactfully extracting him from the clutches of a snooty, bed hopping southern belle named Gwendolyn. The chemistry, if one believed in the notion, was overwhelming and they still remained just as enrapt with one another as they'd been all those long years ago.

Unfortunately despite their mutual devotion they led very separate lives. Dorrie as a highly skilled operative for the CIA and Gabe as a less than _entirely_ successful, depending on your definition of successful, Army Ranger. Because of their demanding careers they'd early on set aside the idea of a traditional family; so for the Benedicts, Gabe's kids' as they referred to the man's team at any given time, was their bevy of unruly children. Their home was even set up to house any of the wayward 'kids' who needed a safe place to decompress. Two of the five bedrooms had double sets of bunk beds and two had furnishings for single occupants. If the couple required more space the fully finished basement slash recreation room slept six, but typically the arrangement sufficed. Gabe had tried in vain to persuade Salem to take a room during the sorely needed vacation; feeling that a nice homey environment would work wonders to ease the man's troubled soul. Salem adamantly refused the kind offer though, going as far as threatening to leave town for the duration of the teams stay if Top persisted.

As Dorrie watched the group walk up she tried to push aside her concerns. This particular bevy of eight had become especially close and Gabe felt a far stronger affinity to the group than he'd ever felt with countless past squads. In his letters he'd railed to her about their foibles and brilliance, their humor and grief and Dorrie worried that after so many long years of raising 'his guys' Gabe was letting this group get too close. War was a thankless game and her work behind the scenes provided a glimpse of a coming reality that Gabe could not, or more pointedly, the government would not allow him to see. This group, should they stay active, had long years of fighting ahead of them and with that fighting came much grief.

"Problem dad?"

"Salem."

Dorrie looked out at the scene. Salem stood head down with Rios beside him. She smiled at the sight. The drastic difference in the two men's size made her chuckle. It was apparent in the photos Gabe had mailed her but seeing the pair in person made it more pronounced. To compound the disparity they wore civilian clothes. Rios, faded Levis and a snug green army issue tee shirt and Salem new Levis and an over large teal blue tee shirt. Both sported fresh bright white sneakers. Rios' low and Salem's high and untied, the cuffs of his stiff pants and the wayward laces tucked partly behind the puffy tongues. He topped the affair with his old, battered, good luck patrol cap characteristically on backwards. A week's worth of stubble and his trade mark shaggy hair showed that he'd obviously been steering well clear of the barber since arriving two weeks ago.

"He's adorable."

"Which one!"

Dorrie punched Gabe in the shoulder and laughed.

"Well Salem, silly. Of all of them over the years if I had to turn back the clock to adopt one it would be him. He's just so…so…needy."

"Needy?" He queried tersely. "Fucking needy? More like a cuddly puppy that grows up to be Cujo. Tyannikov calls him, Маленький Барсук, Little Badger. Now_ that's_ fitting. I don't think he's gonna come in Dor. And yea you are right; Salem is probably as needy as they come."

"I know dear; I am a profiler remember."

"I do, and for god sakes do not let him find that out. He'll catch the first hop outta here and be back in Africa in no time."

They watched as he turned and began to walk back toward the street. Rios followed and in two long strides had the smaller man by his right elbow. Rios spun him around and Elliot shook free bristling with anger. He took a final swig of the beer and tossed the empty perfectly into the bed of Giddy's truck then started to walk toward the road once more. Tyson grabbed him again and this time held both of his biceps.

"We should go out and greet them. Might help to ease his mind a bit."

"Yea, right behind you, Dor. Let's go ease Elliot's addled and needy mind."

"Stop." She scolded reaching for the door knob. "He reminds me of a certain young Ranger, awkwardly clad in his never before worn dress uniform, at his first black tie event and surrounded by what he described at the time as 'mindless brass adorned buffoons'."

"Hmm, and I remember a gorgeous young beauty in mint green chiffon whose primary objective was to get that Ranger out of his new dress uniform as quickly as possible."

They exited laughing at the memory and waited for the pair on the porch while listening to the argument.

"I swear Salem you baffle me! It's a _BBQ_; it ain't fucking tea and Crumpets Kermit. You drink beer and get shit faced; I know you can handle that. You eat real food and not some chow hall slop. You mingle. You talk to Dorrie and meet Samantha when she gets here later. Then tonight we do the fireworks and blow shit up for fun. Explosions Salem; you like explosions right?"

"I do not want to talk to Dorrie! I don't want to meet your, your _girl-friend_! I am happy with chow hall slop and I am perfectly capable of getting shit faced all alone in the hotel room where I do not have to mingle! The only explosion's gonna be when I fuck something up."

Salem jammed his hands deep into his pockets and studied his shoes balefully while listening to Rios' argument.

"What can you possibly fuck up Elliot? It's a party with friends. Everyone's military, everyone's known Gabe for years. Just relax and come on in. It's like family. Pedro, his wife and his kids are coming and he's dying to introduce you to them. Some of Gabe's old squad guys, family Salem."

"It's a god-damned- house, Rios!" Elliot finally growled out, his desperation suddenly brutally clear to Tyson. "A real Wonder Bread man house!"

That stopped the bigger man cold.

"A what? A Wonder Bread man…What are you babbling about Elliot? Well yea it's a house. What were you expecting Salem, a fucking GP Large with a pool out back?"

"The fucking Wonder Bread man Tyse! Haven't you ever heard of the Wonder Bread man?" He squawked incredulously pulling his cap off and slapping it against his right thigh annoyed with Rios' ignorance.

Then shaking his head mournfully he looked toward the house and back up at Rios. Now it was Salem's turn to argue his point and his frantic arm waving and posturing left little doubt in Gabe's mind that he was at his wits end.

"What, what if I break something, spill something, curse or say the wrong thing, use the wrong fork, miss the toilet, not like the food, step on some one's foot, not follow the conversation, lose my temper, fart, burp, soil the furniture, have the wrong opinion…fuck Rios a million things can, could, _will_ go wrong. I don't fucking know how to act in a family, in a house that's a home, Tyse. I lived in a fucking one room shanty and slept on the floor of a bug infested closet. Things weren't much better in any of the fucking homes they dumped me in either. There are real people in there, Tyse! I'm…" He paused and shrugged trying to find the right words to convey his discomfiture. "I'm nothing. I don't belong in_ there_ with regular, properly trained people. All I know is shacks and cells and barracks."

Tyson stared down at him heartbroken. The look on Elliot's face was a mix of desperation and anguish frighteningly akin to how the young man looked after they'd piled into the chopper after the ambush mission and Salem, for whatever reason, did not possess the emotional tools to manage the onslaught of worrisome feelings. He knew that Salem was nervous about hanging out at Gabe's for the BBQ but the depth of Elliot's self-consciousness about his manners stunned him. After all this was Salem. A man typically too self-confident for his own good. A man who would charge straight into machine gun fire and attack men three times his size over a mere slight at the rec center but now, for the first since they'd been partnered up, Tyson had to find a way to come to terms with a terrified Salem. Rios knew fear when he saw it and Elliot was truly afraid he would commit one of the social gaffs he'd systematically rattled off. He knew as well that this was not a situation to take lightly despite the seemingly foolish nature of it. Salem was genuinely afraid and Tyson knew that if he mishandled Salem's fear it would breach the fragile trust he'd worked so diligently to build with his young partner. He sighed and tried to make eye contact.

"Hey, Ellie, hey." He reached out and grasped Salem's left shoulder firmly. "Hey man look at me. You will be fine. You have manners Ellie. You're smart and skilled and hell I've met most of these guys and trust me Salem any and all of them would serve with you in heartbeat. Dorrie's great and you already met her twice out at the bar right; so that's all outta the way. Come on now, it's Top, Elliot. His house, that house Ellie; it's set up for us. _Us_ Elliot, Top's guys. We do this whenever we're all home together. This-is-home. This is family; and Ellie maybe you never had one before but when they _dumped_ you with us, Gabe's Guys, you got one whether you wanted one or not."

He stopped and let his words sink in. He watched Salem struggle to accept the gentle admonition while trying to decide whether or not to trust that Rios wouldn't lead him astray. Finally Rios tilted his head toward the home and nodded. To emphasize his command to follow him he took Salem's bag from his right hand and retrieved his own with his left then turned and began to walk. When Salem still hesitated Tyson paused and waited patiently. Defeated, Elliot slapped the cap on backwards again, huffed and plodded after him like a recalcitrant hound dog

Dorrie and Gabe left the shady porch, strolled between the fuchsia colored Azaleas lining the brick walk and met the duo halfway.

"Gabe, Dorrie."

"Hey, Tyson, Fifty. I'm really glad you decided to come, Elliot, thank you."

"Rios ordered me. Morning, ma 'me."

"Good morning Elliot, and please we have been over this, call me Dorrie. Come on now the guys are all out back already. Elliot this way first though. We'll go through the house and I'll show you your room for the weekend. So how has your leave been Elliot, going well, relaxing?" She prattled hooking her left arm through his right at his elbow and scooting him along the sidewalk once he'd grabbed his bag back from Tyson, leaving Gabe and Rios behind.

"So." Gabe began as they watched the pair walk away. "How's he doing?"

Rios laughed and started walking.

"He's not, Gabe. He's got me worried actually. He stays in the room and drinks. He barely eats, won't go out with us, his biggest concern is his Fifty back at the base; hell the boy had no clothes, Gabe. One beat to shit pair a jeans that looked like he'd been dragging them around for years. I finally hauled him down to the mall to buy some new clothes. How do you not have clothes? I know we don't need them over there but damn it man I don't think he'd worn those old jeans since coming in. Didn't fit him for shit. What's he gonna do when we get out for good?"

"Maybe he'll re-up."

"He says no way but who knows with Salem."

"How'd he like the mall? Fifty does not impress me as mall material?"

Tyson laughed aloud as he pushed through the redwood stained cedar gate.

"That good hunh? Must have made for quite the mission."

"Top I'd have rather ferreted out a nest of suicide bombers from a village of mud hovels in the dead of night, during a sandstorm, while being plinked at by snipers as good as Salem."

"That good?"

"That good."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Note:**_ _C.P. is Courtesy Patrol. For those not familiar with this, it is basically a detachment of folks that prowl around on military posts and in the surrounding community at malls and other places where soldiers visit, insuring that soldiers behave appropriately. This entails watching for gaffs in behavior as well as dress code violations. Where I was stationed they wore a black arm band with yellow or gold letters CP on them. They had the ability to ruin your day. I've been with fellow soldiers who were dressed down while visiting the local mall in civvies, after a four day weekend camping trip, for having not shaved. So that said the fellows need to watch for these guys as the story unfolds._

_**PEACHTREE MALL**_

_Two weeks earlier_

"Still think this is stupid. Look at this mess. Look at this parking lot Tyse, oh and you're gonna fucking park eighty nine miles away to boot, god damn Rios you kill me sometimes. Bowling and ice skating and ice cream fucking cones; god just gimme a boring recon op and save me from this chaos. Rios please don't make me go."

"You're going. You need some clothes and shit we're getting you some. Besides I'm tired of you taking my cologne. You need to buy your own. Move out."

"Buy my own, buy my own, sure fat ass; yours fucking reeks anyway."

"What'd you say Salem?" Rios growled.

"Nothing."

Salem slogged along behind Rios through the mall parking lot reflecting upon how different he'd become since joining the army. He looked at Rios marching several feet ahead of him and sighed. He still hadn't told the big Ranger about his lost wife and daughter and a surge of butterflies fluttered in his gut. The feeling was partly guilt for keeping it from Rios and part anxiety over how the man would react when he finally did tell him. It betrayed their trust keeping such a personal secret but Salem just wasn't ready to share that part of himself yet. He growled low in his throat and let the old memories play out in his head.

Back before prison would steal a car with Jennifer, his girlfriend and future wife, and drive to the nearest big mall and wander around wishing they had the money to buy all the wonderful items other folks had. They'd spend hours just browsing but because they were not dressed as well as the other shoppers security typically keyed on them rather quickly and often tailed them through which ever store they browsed in. Salem had readily become adept at marking and losing the hunters and the pair seldom left without heisting items of value that they could pawn or sell to make enough to buy some drugs or alcohol. Food, it seemed, too often took the back burner to funding a party. Now he had the money to spend but absolutely no desire for anything in any of the stores.

Back then, before losing Jennifer he'd thought that money was the answer to everything but now, now he just wasn't as sure. Jennifer's family was loaded with money and where had that gotten her. It damn sure hadn't bought her the love of her family and for Salem, more than owning clothes and shoes; it was having a family that drove him. If money couldn't get that then who needed it? Salem knew that all she had to do was dump him, ask and her father would provide anything she wanted. She loved him though and refused the command, so she went without just as Salem did and they both grew to love the enjoyable mall missions.

"You know Tyse back before prison I used to jack a car and drive to the big mall about seventy miles from where I grew up and shoplift the place blind. We'd…I'd hit a restaurant, eat like a king and walk out on my bill. Then I'd gawk at all the nice shit I'd never have, steal another ride and go back to my miserable life. I wanted everything back then and now, I feel sick just looking at this fucking place."

"Shoplifting? Why am I not surprised? You do that here and I'll break your fucking arm, Salem. Worse even than Tyannikov did."

"Come on Tyse; just something small, something to always remember this wonderful little shopping spree. It'll relax me."

Tyson stopped short and Elliot bumped into him. Turning quickly he grabbed the smaller man by the collar of his shirt and hoisted him upwards until they were eye to eye. A passing shopper gasped at the exchange and hustled her children quickly away from the conflict.

"Do not; I repeat do not steal anything from this mall, Salem. You have money now; therefore you have _absolutely_ no reason to steal. You see something you like, just buy it Elliot. If you can't afford it then save up for it. Hear me Salem? I am serious. There's cameras and security and ink bomb thingies but more critically there is me Salem. There is me and I will beat you senseless if you compromise me by stealing from this mall."

Elliot stared across at Rios trying his best not to smirk. The big soldier seemed genuinely concerned he'd steal something which only served to embolden him. He looked away and tipped his head toward another pair of shoppers. Two big guys, obviously military by their look, heading for their vehicle he smiled demurely and shrugged at them.

"He's very possessive. He's just warning me not to glass your asses after you pass us."

"God damn it Salem! That's it get back in the fucking truck!"

Rios dropped him and Elliot smoothed down the front of his army issue tee shirt while smiling innocently at the scowling duo.

"What Rios what? Five weeks stuck up on a freezing mountain and then five months in a fucking desert, a man's allowed to look Tubby; come on. You brought me here to shop. I am only shopping. Their eye candy, only eye candy!"

"Yea Salem; well shop this. Get moving, let's just get you some clothes or the only thing you'll need to shop for is a surgeon to remove my foot from your skinny little ass!"

"Only your foot! Fuck me twice! Shh…" He cautioned leaning toward the pair with his finger over his lips. "Hey guys, don't ask don't tell."

They shot him a thumbs up and Salem waved at the pair who were now laughing at the silly encounter then started back toward a single door, side entrance of the mall. Just as they reached it he paused with his hand on the handle.

"You know Tubby; I was calculating on the eighty nine mile walk here that if I had a buck for every time in the last five months you've threatened to shove your foot up my skinny little ass I wouldn't have to steal. So that said, at ten times a day, plus oh at least four days a week, that's forty and I'll add three for long months so forty-three times a month…"

"Excuse us we'd like to go inside please."

"Shh, back off lady. I'm doing some math here; have some patience. Where was I? Forty-three times a month, times five months that's forty multiplied by five is two hundred…"

"Mister!"

"Hey lady blame the fat one there; it's him who's always threatening to put his foot up my ass."

"Sal…Kermit!" Rios changed up not wanting give up their names.

"Two hundred…and three times five is another fifteen; so at a minimum two hundred and fifteen times total but hey that's fucking low balling it. So let's just say forty times a day and make your contribution twenty bucks an anal boot insertion and that's well, that would be…"

"I am Mrs. Colonel Bertrand Henderson and I demand to know who your commanding officer is!"

Salem stopped, stood up straighter, flipped his old cap around frontwards and Rios groaned. Nobody demanded anything from the younger man. Elliot might follow and order without question but if you took up a tone and demanded…well the man just simply did not respond well to that sort of treatment.

"Ma'am I'll handle him. Please just back off Kermit and let the nice ladies pass by. Come on now; you do that and I'll let you steal something this time, ok."

"Steal! That's it as soon as I see a CP I'm warning him about you two. I have an excellent memory for names _and _faces. Kermit and Tubby, big and dark and little and vulgar."

"Nice one Tubby. Now she thinks I'm both a manner-less, little ass, vulgar thug and a fucking thief. What was it you were demanding again ma'am? Oh my commanding officer that's right, well you can demand until you're as blue in the face as your hair is but that's none of your god damned business. Let's go Tubby. I'm tired of going commando," Then leaning in toward Mrs. Henderson he whispered in her ear. "That's going without underwear ma'am." Then standing straight again, "and having my zipper snag in my pubes. So good day ladies, the big dark one and I have some underwear shopping to do."

At that he tipped his hat, slapped it back on backwards, tossed a two fingered salute at the shocked trio of older women and slipped through the door. Rios snagged it as it closed in their flushed faces and politely motioned for them to enter. They did making their way rapidly down the long hallway and into the main mall area.

"What was that? What in the holy fuck was that Salem? Fuck me twice Salem. Just what were you thinking?"

"I'm thinking you owe me $16,300.00. That'll buy me quite a few pairs of underwear. Keep my poor beleaguered pubes safe for a while."

Rios could only stare at him in disbelief. He'd spent a good deal of time hanging with a less than rule abiding crowd growing up, but none of them compared to Salem went it came down to the man's ability to behave with such uncompromising insolence.

"Beleaguered, it's me who's beleaguered. You're a sociopath aren't you?"

"I think it has, on several occasions, been discussed, yes." He agreed far too readily and a bit too prideful for Rios' liking. "I believe they described it as and I quote, 'Sociopathic with a unnaturally strong need, bordering upon compulsion, to please a father type figure; which if managed appropriately would lend toward the development of a highly functional fighting machine; which when commanded by the appropriately bonded surrogate father figure could be aimed in a direction and sent off to complete even the most suicidal of tasks with a near flawless degree of mission success.' Yep, sociopathic but in a controlled way. I'm hungry; food court first or a sit down place? Like I said I can scab our…"

"Shut up and move out before I kill you."

"Roger that, CP's probably inbound by now anyway. Remember Tyse, we need to dodge those fucks; they'll be gunning for us for sure, fucking old blue haired bat. Just try and melt in with the crowd Rios, ok? Don't stand out. Hunch up if you have to. Remember how good it worked for me with the Corona investigation. And Tyse if they tag us just let me do the talking kay?"

"Salem I swear to god… I know that you typically don't say shit but I'm thinkin' you've done more than enough talking for today. So just shut the fuck up until we leave!"

They ate at Chick-Fil-A because Salem said he'd never eaten there before and Tyannikov had told him he loved to eat there whenever he was state side. Because of who'd suggested it Rios wasn't thrilled with the choice, but he was glad to see that Salem ordered two Spicy Chicken sandwiches without pickles, an order of chicken nuggets and a large order of waffle fries. It was more food than he'd eaten since they'd hit Georgia a week ago.

Lunch out of the way the pair headed off to clothe Salem. Despite Rios' efforts the younger man balked at browsing from store to store and after a brief debate on the best store for just getting what he needed they headed for Sears.

"Ok Ellie pants first. What do you like?"

"Levis, kinda always wanted some of those."

"Good; see now we're making progress. Color?"

"Levis are blue."

"They come in colors. Size?"

"I don't know Tyse. Thirty-four waist, same length?"

"Don't get exasperated. Here thirty-four, thirty-fours, 505's, boot cut try those. Go on, get a number from the lady and go in there. Here try the thirty-twos too you never know."

Salem took the proffered jeans and headed for the dressing rooms. The lady clerk eyed him warily before handing him a plastic hang tag with the number two on it and a key attached to a ten inch piece of PVC pipe by a thin chain. He slogged into the dressing room and studied the doors. Then confused he studied the hang tag. Sure enough it had a number two. Sighing he turned and walked back to Rios who stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't even try and tell me you tried them on, Elliot."

Salem studied the folded jeans, gave up on lying and held out the blue hang tag.

"Ok and the problem is?"

He held up his key.

"Yes it's a key, Salem."

Behind her counter the clerk was keenly watching the exchange. If this was some sort of shoplifting gag, she'd never encountered it before. The smaller man seemed to be genuinely confused.

"She gave me a key for door number two." Salem whispered snatching a glance at the petite brunette. "The doors are not fucking marked. Is it two from the right or two from the left or some secret shopping code?"

Rios looked down at him. He found it inconceivable that Salem had never tried on clothes before.

"When you were stateside, not deployed, what the fuck did you wear when you were not on duty Salem?"

"Nothing, well I never did anything. I just trained. I didn't take time to do anything. Rarely left post."

It wasn't a lie really. Even during the brief times he'd spent with Jennifer and his daughter Ellie the trio stayed in relishing in their precious time together. He just wore army stuff.

"Gimme the key." Rios snapped taking it from Salem. "Follow me Kermit."

Just as they started into the dressing rooms she stopped them.

"Just one of you. You have to wait out here."

Rios sighed and approached the counter. He took out his wallet and tossed his VISA card at her. Then leaning in close and whispering he told her,

"He's new to this. Just got off a plane from growing up in a horrible Siberian orphanage. His father, an American spy, abandoned him there on a church door step after his Russian mother died in child birth. Poor bastard's never been shopping before. That'll cover anything you think we might be stealing. Just gimme a second."

She took his card and nodded toward the door and a smiling Salem.

Rios returned to him and brusquely stated the only full phrase he knew in Russian trying to make the lie as real as possible.

"Get down on the floor and put your hands behind your head!"

"What!" Salem squawked.

"Just get in there." He snapped in a whisper pushing a confused Salem through the curtained doorway. "Here try the key in the second door from the left."

Salem did and it opened.

"Good close it and try this one; two from the right."

He followed Rios' instructions and that door opened. He looked at the bigger man incredulously.

"Listen Salem, you hang the number on the door knob like so. That tells her how many things you have in there. Two in and two out, helps stop stealing. All the locks are the same."

Salem studied the slowly swinging tag and sighed.

"Well what's to stop me from coming when it's really busy, with a matching plastic tag, with a number one and just jacking an item and handing in the other and my fake tag?"

Rios shook his head.

"Get in the god damned room and try on the pants, Elliot. Then I wanna see each pair on you. So come out after each one."

"Model 'em! She's out there."

"No just show me, your partner, the fit."

He left the rooms and retrieved his card from the confused clerk. She noted his distress and played her part as a concerned sale associate.

"Is your Siberian friend ok? Must be an awfully difficult transition."

Rios stared at her. Did she actually believe his story?

"Yes Mindy, he'll be fine provided I don't find a reason to send him back. Thanks."

Salem came out in the blue thirty-fours. They fit well. A little loose but not so much that they appeared baggy. Rios told him as much and sent him back in. A few minutes later he reappeared in the black thirty-twos and before Rios could say anything Mindy rushed from around the counter and joined them.

"That's the fit! Tell him. Does he speak English?"

Salem studied the pair and Rios gave him a sign that said to just play along.

"Yes, just speak very slowly and enunciate clearly."

"My name-is-Min-dy. Wel-come to America. That is the fit you are after. They look very nice on you. Any woman would find you very attractive in them."

"Tell her thank you, Barsukh. That is good American manners. Understand?"

"Da, da, thank you, Min-dy." He muttered coarsely.

"You are so welcome. Now you can just set those here and when you are ready to check out come back, ok."

"Da."

Salem followed Rios back out into the clothing section and pulled him up short.

"What the fuck was that?"

"I told her you didn't know how to shop because you just got here after growing up in a Siberian orphanage. She's into you though man. You should ask her out. Babble sweet Russian nothings in her ear and you be in her pants in a jiffy. Here one pair each, thirty-twos and fours blue and black. Come on we'll pay and head out for shirts and shoes, nothing here really stands out."

Salem cringed at the idea of dating Mindy and headed back to the counter.

"All set?"

"Da, yes."

"Good, now since you are a new American how would you like to apply for your very first credit card? Get approved and you will save fifty percent on any purchases you make in Sears today. Did he get that? Was I too fast?"

"Da." Salem said quickly.

"Nyet" Rios countered tersely.

"Excuse me."

"Da, Mindy, he got it and nyet no he doesn't."

"Da, fifty percent minus off is a good deal for Zoor Choot." Salem argued reminding himself to speak haltingly.

"Ok then just fill this out and bring it back."

Salem filled out the brief application and returned it to Mindy.

"Oh, the Army, wow, they take folks like you… well you know what I mean."

"Translator, he's a translator. Russian to Tagalog."

"Ok just let me call you in."

They duo sat down on a nearby bench and waited.

"Are you crazy Salem? You of all people do not need credit cards. And Sears, Sears is impossible to get. They've denied me twice man. And what about Mindy, once she starts reading it your cover's blown. No date with her ever."

"Russian to Tagalog, that's choice, Bro."

"Hey, what if I picked something regular and it turned out she's fluent? Just covering our asses."

"Our cover. Ilya's probably spinning out of control. I can't believe you just stole his life story like this. It's wrong Tyse very wrong. Ok here she comes."

"Yup prepare to be de-clined."

"Ok congratulations! You are now a proud Sears card holder, Barsukh. Now I will ring these pants up and you can continue your shopping experience in Sears and get big American savings."

"Hah! take that. Zoor Choot has good American credit." Salem jeered slapping Rios' left shoulder and pushing him back from the counter. "Sears is impossible to get. Sor…ry!"

"Wow, that was great English! Were you practicing while I was away?"

Salem stopped laughing and cleared his throat.

"Nyet, no but sometimes when Barsukh, me is relaxed the English it comes easier."

"Oh that makes sense. Ok your total with your fifty percent off is sixty-five, fifty. This is your card confirmation to show as you continue to shop and you should receive your card in two to six weeks. Will that be cash or a debit card?"

"Debit."

Two hours later they finally left Sears with shirts, shoes, the much needed underwear and assorted miscellaneous items. Salem had now completely succumbed to the idea that shopping was fun. Once in the mall they headed into a restaurant with a bar and had a few beers. Fortified by the alcohol and still laughing childishly over Tyson's Russian cover story the two headed out to finish the days tasks.

Salem now browsed the shop windows. He didn't really purchase much but Tyson was happy to see the younger man finally enjoying himself. They slowed outside of a jewelry store and Rios looked at the twinkling rings in the case.

"Bro, those are engagement rings." Salem whispered somewhat reverently.

"Yea man, I've been thinking about it for a while. Me and Sam, it's been nearly five years and I'm sure she's the one. She's not perfect but hell, look what she has to put up with. Five years and I bet I haven't been home for more than a total of a year and half all together. She puts up with it, Salem and that can't be easy to find."

Salem's stomach flipped. No it wasn't and who would know that better than he would. That was after all why his Jennifer had taken her life and Ellie's. She couldn't bear the idea of Salem being gone all the time.

"No I don't guess so, Tyse. Must be hell on wives. Still, getting hitched, that's a big step."

"Yea, let's go in; there's more inside."

Reluctantly Salem followed him in. He moved away to give Rios some privacy with the clerk and perused the cases alone. Off to the side he discovered one with men's silver chains. All of his life he'd come across items he coveted but owning a fine silver chain was something that for some reason he'd set high on his wish list. Two years before going to prison he'd been hired by Orlov, his Russian fence, to steal a batch from a rival dealer and while studying the take after delivering it he'd fallen in love with the warm silver accessories. Orlov told him that the silver was magical, that it kept the wearer safe from all manner of frightful dangers. After that Elliot had promised himself that he'd someday own one.

A clerk noticed his interest and came over.

"Can I show you something, sir?"

"Which sir, me sir, me? Ah no…well yea, I don't know. That one. The thicker one there in the middle? Can I see that one?"

"Certainly. Let me get that out for you. It's Sterling Silver and comes with a hallmark. This is an eighteen inch but I think you might need something a little longer. Here what do you think?"

Salem fingered the shiny chain carefully. He might not be educated in the use of dressing rooms but he knew how to judge jewelry. It was indeed Sterling and of a high quality. The price and fact that it came with a Hallmark backed up his assessment. The links were not huge but thick and just the right size. It felt nice in his palm.

"Try this one on; this is twenty inches."

Salem blinked at the man, returned the first chain and turned round so the longer one could be set around his neck. The jeweler's fingers were cold when the brushed against Elliot's skin and his shuddered slightly. Across the store Rios happened to look over and surprised that the younger man was trying something on smiled broadly and headed over.

"There all set, here's a mirror. The fit is good I think. You look like an active fellow so it hangs a bit loose and the weight of it truly suits you. What do you think?"

Salem studied himself in the oval shaped mirror. The portrait he presented was one of stark contrasts. He was handsome, yet with several days of stubble and the slight puffiness that seemed to prevail under his hazel eyes he appeared tired and slightly older than his twenty-two years. The awkwardness he felt showed as a sort of beguiling innocence. The young man looking back at him with a small hesitant smile seemed guiltless, yet burdened by some secret pain. He blinked and startled slightly when Tyson appeared in the mirror looking over his shoulder.

"It's nice Ellie." He said quietly his voice warm and sincere. "It's you and you should buy it."

"Expensive, Tyse. I don't deserve a fine…"

"You deserve it Ellie, and you have the money. It's you man; one hundred percent you. I don't know…it just fits. Buy it."

Elliot looked over at the jeweler as if the man could make the choice for him. It wasn't as if he'd refuse Salem's money.

"Orlov, an old friend sort of, he said silver's magical, Tyse and for some reason I always believed him. Hell he wore one and he'd been shot some nine or ten times and he was still healthy as hell."

"Well then you damn sure need it Ellie. Go for it man; it's sweet."

"If money is an issue we do have a credit card available. A short application and a ten minute wait and we can see if you're approved. Also you seem to know your way around jewelry, so you must be aware that such a fine piece is after all an investment."

"Yea, do the application we can wait." He muttered reaching up and undoing the chain.

He handed it back and took the form from the clerk along with a pen. He finished it and turned the paper in then went to where Rios was choosing between three rings.

"Which one Ellie? I can't pick one."

"You're asking me? Tyse it's your wedding. They all cost over eleven grand Bro that's steep."

"Yea, I have savings, well been saving. I'll do half credit, half cash. You only do this one time Ellie; gotta go big man."

Elliot studied the three choices. He had no way to judge what Samantha would like he hadn't even met her yet. Truth be told he actually resented her slightly for being a part of Rios' life. Rios was all he had and deep down he was terribly insecure about losing the big man's attentions to her. He loved Rios though and he'd die before ever doing anything to hurt him or the life he was planning.

Salem sighed and tried to visualize the many pictures he'd seen of Samantha. She was a tall, big boned but perfectly balanced woman, beautiful to a fault. A small petite ring would be lost on her.

"That one, the fourteen grand one; let me see that and a loupe."

They jeweler handed the ring and loupe to Elliot and he scrutinized the piece.

"Do I want to know why you know how to do this, Salem?"

"Nope. This one Tyse; it's the one. Two carat brilliant cut, heart shaped diamond; very fine too, set in eighteen carat white gold. The band's not all frilly though, delicate but strong like her in her pictures. Framed by nice marquees, four per side nested in between heart shaped Almandine garnets. It's a beautiful design Tyse, the way the little hearts surround the marquees diamonds and how the center two hearts are intertwined and around the last marquees. It's just really well done, Bro. This is the one. All good quality too. It will hold its value."

He handed the loupe and ring back to the jeweler and stepped back from the display case.

"I should check on my chain. That one Tyse it's, it's what I'd do if I ever found anyone I'd want to keep forever. It's perfect."

He turned away and crossed to where his jeweler was waiting for him. He sniffled and hoped the tears stinging his eyes were not overly apparent. The jeweler though noticed his discomfort and discretely slipped him a tissue.

"These times, these moments can be surprisingly emotional for folks. Especially when they are close friends. I wouldn't worry though he's very devoted to you and his getting married won't ever change that."

Salem flinched at the kind and too accurate platitude and eked out a smile. It wasn't so much his insecurity about losing Tyson that brought on the moment of weakness but his own heart break at not having been able to give something so beautiful to his wife. All he'd given her was a few years of loneliness and an early death. He forced the secret pain and guilt back down and shrugged.

"Thanks. I know, it's just, well change can be a struggle."

"Very true. Well you are approved, sir. Unless you've changed your mind the chain is yours. I just need your signature in a few spots and you'll receive your card in the mail in four two six weeks."

"Great that's cool. Just point and I'll get out of your hair."

He signed the forms and took his package then after a final glance at Rios filling out his own stack of papers he moved out into the mall and took a seat on a bench just outside the jewelry store reminding himself to watch for the CP.

Rios finally finished his transaction and joined Salem. He noted that the younger man seemed tired. Over the course of their young relationship Tyson had learned that while Elliot was a bundle of energy he had the potential to suddenly crash. The entire team knew this and since a sudden crash in energy or mood could undermine a mission the group had spent a fair amount of time discussing how to manage their new team mate's quirk. Rios knew getting Salem refocused and moving was paramount to revitalizing him.

"Good you got it! Put it on. I want to see it again."

"Nah, not yet I'll do it later." He mumbled confirming Rios' assessment of his mood. "We about done here. I'm shopped out."

"One more stop. I need a gift for Samantha for when she gets here Fourth of July. Come on."

They headed off and when Tyson reached his intended location Salem stopped short.

"Victoria's Secrets! You are not dragging me in there! I do not need to see whatever it is kinda little thing you'll be stripping off a her. No way; you're on your own for this one, I'm gone; I'm heading into Radio Shack. I suddenly feel like I need a new Walkman or something."

Before Rios could respond Salem dashed off across the mall dodging shoppers and into the neighboring store.

They met back up a half an hour later Salem gleefully reporting that he'd been given his fifth credit card of the day. Rios sighed and consoled himself to feeding the young man for the foreseeable future while he paid down his new debts. Packages in hand they made their way back to the truck relieved to have avoided the CP all day.

Later that evening back at the hotel, Salem came out of the shower and dressed in the new thirty-two sized black jeans and a black long sleeve tee shirt with a brilliant green and red dragon emblazoned on the back and red, yellow and orange flames trailing along the sleeves. Out of all the clothes he'd purchased the shirt had been the most costly, but he loved his dragons and flames and had to have it. Tyson, sitting on his bed looking at the ring nodded in approval of the outfit and Elliot basked in the older man's contentment.

He sat down beside Tyson and looked down at the newly purchased bauble perched in its black velvet case.

"Cost more than my truck."

"Yea."

"Think I fucked up? You do, don't you? The truth Salem."

"No. If I could, I'd do the same. You love her, she's gonna be your life your everything, it's just money. You'll make some more. Fuck Tyse bet we could even get on with my old bear and his guys at DBA once we're free of the Army. They make good money. Six figures."

"With Tyannikov? I don't know; six figures and a lot of killing Elliot. I don't know. Where's your chain? How come you haven't put it on?"

Salem stood back up and crossed the small room to his bags. Rios noted that he was limping slightly. He'd need to keep a check on whatever was bothering Salem's leg. Elliot returned and sat back down.

"Leg's hurting?"

"Just a little. Walking on hard stuff like that tile at the mall fucks with it some. Tyse I'm happy you're gonna get married; you know that right?"

"Yea, man; of course."

"Just wanna be clear about where we stand, who has my six an all."

"I do Ellie, I do. I always will."

Salem sighed deeply, snapped the lid of his chain's case open and fingered the shiny links.

"What's that they say? A chain's only as strong as its weakest link? I hate that saying. Chains don't break, they bind. Here Tyse you do it; put it on for me will ya? It's hard to reach."

Tyson knew Elliot well enough to understand that what he was asking meant more to him than just getting help to fasten his new necklace. He was imbuing the new chain with what he imagined as more magical powers. If Tyson fastened it then it would bind them. On the one hand the tender request flattered the big Ranger but on the other it frightened him. Salem, since arriving, had time and again created scenarios that he perceived as soul binding between them. Rios hadn't helped by mixing their blood on their blades after he'd fought with Salem over Tyannikov. Now this request was yet another, although subtle, instance of that and combined with Tyson's purchase of Samantha's ring…well that, Rios knew, made the situation a very potent mix of emotional chemistry between them. It seemed as if Salem wanted Rios to claim him before he claimed Samantha. Despite his reticence Tyson knew refusing was out of the question.

"Sure Ellie, I'd be honored."

He took the chain and brushed Elliot's damp hair aside. Then he reached around him and looped the silver chain under his chin and back around. He clasped it and tugged gently to make certain it was secure then smoothed his hand down the back of Elliot's head and squeezed his shoulders.

"There all set. Let's have a look. You look great. Now Giddy and the guys are waiting so get your socks on and new sneakers on and let's go get drunk. I just dropped fourteen plus grand on a ring and suddenly I'm feeling a bit queasy about it. And Ellie this is between us, no one else, got me. Swear it, I'm trusting you man. I don't want them to know yet."

Salem grinned proud to be the only one Tyson had told and jumped up from the bed suddenly happy and alive again.

"Roger that boss! Gimme five mikes and I'll be on your six."


End file.
